Head coach Mike Locksley saw the second composite four-star recruit jump into the fold today after Friendship Collegiate (DC) four-star defensive tackle Bryce Jenkins committed to the local program over Tennessee, South Carolina and Rutgers. The news came just eight days after composite four-star quarterback Malik Washington pulled the trigger on his commitment, giving the Terps their building block for the future. Now up to 20 commitments and with a full 25-man class expected, Maryland now holds a consensus top-35 class in the country. Maryland's current 2025 haul checks in 20th nationally on Rivals, 25th on 247 and 35th on On3. That's good for the seventh-best class in the Big Ten according to Rivals, compared to ninth on 247 and tenth on On3. It's the highest team ranking for Maryland since the 2021 class that produced Tommy Akingbesote, Dante Trader Jr., Tai Felton and Colby McDonald -- along with brief Terps like Branden Jennings, Terrence Lewis and Chop Robinson. But fast forward to the Terps' recruiting pulse heading into the rest of July, Maryland has a chance to ink its highest-rated class under Locksley. Maryland remains a prime player for a pair of top targets out of Virginia in four-star OL Jaylen Gilchrist and SAF Messiah Delhomme, while in-state four-star and top target Zymear Smith is days removed from backing off his pledge to Alabama. Maryland also remains a top contender for in-state cornerback Blake Woodby, who released a final three including Auburn and Oregon alongside the hometown team. With Maryland either in pole position or entrenched in the top groups for all four targets, the Terps could be on the cusp of inking a top-25 class with the 247 class calculator projecting a total class score of 235.49, good for 26th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten compared to the 2024 final rankings. Maryland has already been able to address a key need with Washington giving the quarterback room an instant contender for the 2025 starting job, while Jenkins became the sixth commitment along the defensive line with the unit potentially losing its entire starting unit following the 2024 season. The 2025 class has long been tabbed as the deep recruiting cycle in Maryland's backyard, allowing the staff to add plenty of local flavor to its foundational class. Maryland will look to continue that momentum into the 2026 class with blue-chippers like 'Manny' Iheanacho, Zion Elee, Jireh Edwards and Khary Adams already drawing significant Power Four attention. With a staff littered with local recruiting ties, head coach Mike Locksley will look to continue adding to the 2025 class before building momentum with their 2026 targets later this month. “It is kind of personal for me. I grew up here, played at Ballou High School and really felt growing up that the University of Maryland never really came in to recruit our school,” Locksley said about local recruiting in 2022. “What I had found once I got into coaching, I made a commitment that wherever I am, I am going to recruit this DMV area, this DC Metro area, specifically because I knew that there are some players there that are really talented players and I think it is starting to show when you look across the country and see four or five teams ranked in the national high school top 25.” Related Links
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